Affordable Housing

There is no doubt that families across Scotland are feeling the strain of tough UK Government cuts. Unfortunately, these cuts do not only have an immediate effect but are also expected to have an impact on future investment.

The SNP has therefore taken a lead in the UK by prioritising affordable housing; we know and understand that investment in affordable housing will create strong and stable communities. That is why we have ploughed in hundreds of millions of pounds to build a record number of affordable houses.

In addition, we have reaffirmed our commitment to social housing and thanks to support from the Scottish Government; councils are now building more houses than at any time since the early 1990s, and we intend to build 30,000 new homes over the lifetime of this Parliament.

Our record:

Invested a record £675 million invested in affordable housing in 2009-10, and 8,663 affordable homes approved, a record number.

Allocated £80 million to 23 local authorities to support the construction of 3,300 new council homes.

Seen over 1,300 council houses started in the past three years, more than twice the number in the previous eleven years combined.

Scrapped the right-to-buy for new council houses therefore encouraging building of new affordable homes and safeguarding homes for the future.